Personal Branding: Posting Your Photo Increases Your Twitter Following

Posted by Suzanne Blecher on April 6, 2010 02:49 PM

Marketing software maker HubSpot has analyzed 9 million Twitter profiles and has come to the conclusion that accounts with a profile picture average about 10 times more followers than those without.

What is the reason? Generally a Twitter profile associated with a default avatar looks amateurish. For many, Twitter is about following experts, not just ordinary people – that’s what Facebook is for.

Media site Dosh Dosh examined the Top Ten Twitterholics based on Followers and found that they built large audiences through already established popularity. Most had followers from being deemed experts and rely on the strength of their reputation or personal brand. Integrating your brand or expertise into your profile is crucial, as is using websites or other platforms to promote your Twitter profile.

According to Twitterholic rankings, Ashton Kutcher tops the list with 4.725 million followers, Britney Spears ranks second with 4.668 million, Ellen DeGeneres takes third with 4.454 million and Barack Obama shows up fourth with 3.570 million.

If you are an ordinary person who can’t sing, act or dance, just stay true and genuine to your personal brand. Become an expert in something, anything, that will drive people to follow you. Mashable.com offers some tips on how to go about it. Tweet away.

More about: Twitter, Tech, Entertainment, Britney Spears, Ashton Kutcher, Ellen DeGeneres, Barack Obama, Facebook

Gunter Soydanbay says:

Could it be simply a sign of users' higher involvement? After all, many people use Twitter just to read what others have to say. The ones who write are more involved with this tool so they have their photos. Is there anything else to be read into?

Gunter Soydanbay
www.soydanbay.com

April 6, 2010 08:49 PM #

Mark says:

Completely agree.

April 9, 2010 05:09 AM #

Michal fineman says:

I wonder if there is any similar research limited strictly to B-to-B twitter profiles? Most that I see use some simplified version of their logo, or at least their company name, rather than a photo of an individual (and certainly not a default avatar). A few, though, have separate individuals tweeting from their perspectives in the business or organization. Is there a reason to think the latter might be preferable, even though it may split the brand and means each individual needs to build up a separate following?

April 7, 2010 08:30 AM #

William Arruda says:

Interesting. I read a study last year (I can't put my finger on it now) that said that people are more likely to believe content posted to the web if it includes the headshot of the author. In a world that is becoming more and more virtual, we want things to be real. Your headshot is one element in your personal brand identity system (PBID). Today. everyone needs a PBID. Here is a brief video I created to help you create yours: www.personalbranding.tv/.../

Thanks for sharing this research.

Best.
William
www.williamarruda.com

April 7, 2010 09:12 AM #

Mars Dorian says:

Yeah, I could imagine that. You want to be as personal as possible, and having your profile
pic for Facebook and Twitter is one of the easiest ways !!

April 10, 2010 09:37 PM #

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Interesting. I read a study last year (I can't put my finger on it now) that said that people are more likely to believe content posted to the web if it includes the headshot of the author. In a world that is becoming more and more virtual, we want things to be real. Your headshot is one element in your personal brand identity system (PBID). Today. everyone needs a PBID. Here is a brief video I created to help you create yours

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